P04-12 The efficacy and feasibility of the SPRINTT physical activity intervention in Finland

Abstract Background Older adults with frailty and sarcopenia are at high risk of disability. These older adults get benefit from physical activity. However, it is challenging to get them involved in exercise interventions. The SPRINtT trial has investigated the efficacy and feasibility of a multicomponent intervention in the prevention of mobility disability in older adults with frailty and sarcopenia in 11 European countries, under the coordination of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy. Altogether 1566 candidates were recruited to the SPRINtT RCT, and 142 of them in Finland. Methods The participants (n = 70) completed at least two years of physical activity training. The training was performed at moderate intensity and consisted of walking, strength, balance and flexibility exercises. The participants attended training two times a week at the center with the addition of home-based exercises. The training intensity increased gradually. The primary outcome of mobility disability was operationalized as an inability to complete the 400-m walk test. Secondary outcomes of physical performance were the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and handgrip strength. Results The results of the intervention will be revealed in spring 2020. Participants experienced that their physical performance improved during the follow-up. The physical activity program and the home-based exercises can be performed without any equipment and could, therefore, be easily implemented for practice. Conclusions The physical activity intervention was feasible and could be further recommended for older people with sarcopenia and physical frailty if the final results support these experiences.


Background
Frailty is a common and clinically significant multi-dimensional syndrome associated with adverse health outcomes such as hospitalisation, disability, and mortality among older adults. Physical activity interventions have been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of functional decline and frailty, with strength training protocols reporting improvements in mobility, balance, preservation of muscle function and independence. Due to the trial's exploratory and feasibility design a small sample was used to investigate the acceptability and practicality in long term care. This includes addressing the HEPA priority of improving the health and well-being of people with chronic conditions and/or frailty. Methods Eleven older adults (aged >65 years) were randomised to the intervention or wait-list control. A 6-week strength training protocol for 35 mins 3x/week used resistance machines, specially designed for older adults, in a residential care home. Mixed methods were used to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and research measures and indicate meaningful differences in outcomes. Feasibility was measured through adherence statistics and focus groups/ interviews with staff and participants. Pre-and post-intervention levels are given as descriptive statistics for physiological, psychosocial, cognitive, and functional measures. Intervention effect is illustrated through mean difference (95% Confidence Intervals) pre-to post-intervention in the intervention group.

Results
Intervention group (n = 6) adherence was 98.9%. Interviews revealed participants and staff found the measures and intervention acceptable, practicable and beneficial. Mean differences pre-to post-intervention indicated meaningful clinical difference in measures of strength, functional capacity and frailty. Psychosocial variables (stress, depression, social support), immunological measures, cognition and Activities of Daily Living Scores did not show meaningful change. Conclusion A strength training intervention protocol for frail care home residents was beneficial, with findings supporting a future randomised controlled trial. High adherence and clinically meaningful differences for frailty and physical function support the use of such interventions to improve multidimensional health, maintain functional capacity and independence, and enhance social participation in frail older adults. This study and further research may help inform practical physical activity initiatives for frail older adults, and prevention of mobility disability in older adults with frailty and sarcopenia in 11 European countries, under the coordination of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy. Altogether 1566 candidates were recruited to the SPRINtT RCT, and 142 of them in Finland.

Methods
The participants (n = 70) completed at least two years of physical activity training. The training was performed at moderate intensity and consisted of walking, strength, balance and flexibility exercises. The participants attended training two times a week at the center with the addition of home-based exercises. The training intensity increased gradually. The primary outcome of mobility disability was operationalized as an inability to complete the 400-m walk test. Secondary outcomes of physical performance were the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and handgrip strength.

Results
The results of the intervention will be revealed in spring 2020. Participants experienced that their physical performance improved during the follow-up. The physical activity program and the home-based exercises can be performed without any equipment and could, therefore, be easily implemented for practice.

Conclusions
The physical activity intervention was feasible and could be further recommended for older people with sarcopenia and Background One scope of the Active and Healthy Ageing framework is to increase awareness on elderly-related topics. The year 2020 has seen an upheaval across the world caused by the COVID-19 emergence, even higher to older persons.

Methods
In Italy, data gathered by the PASSI d'Argento behavioural surveillance system on general population aged 65+ in the timeframe 2016-2019 describe health conditions, lifestyles and care needs for elderly.

Results
Basing on physical activity recommended by the WHO globally, 33% of non-physically impaired older persons reaches out those levels, 27% are partially active, 40% is sedentary. 9% fell down within 30 days prior the interview, accessing hospital was necessary in 19% of cases; 64% of falling occurred at home, 20% outdoor. 61% refers at least one infrastructural housing issue, 15% perceive higher neighbourhood insecurity. 35% reported difficulties in accessing essential services, especially to local health premises and for necessities. About 19% lives socially isolated, 21% had not any contact (neither by phone) with anyone in a typical week, 71% do not attend collective meetings, such as at a club or church. Nearby 1 out of 3 (29%) represents an asset to the own family/community: 19% looks after cohabiting people, 14% relatives or friends not living together with, 6% engage in volunteering. Participation in training courses or social events (trips/stays organised) regards little more than 2 over65 out of 10: 5% partakes in learning courses, 23% enjoyed those latest occasions. Such low social connectedness is observed even among «younger elderly» (aged 65-74). Nearly 19% referred frailty impacting on their own families mainly, 94% of frail elderly is given help from relatives, 20% from professional caregivers, 12% from acquaintances. All these factors suffer from socio-economic and territorial differences. Among elderly reporting many economic difficulties, social isolation is 31%, frailty 28%, difficult access to services 58%, falling 15%, with a geographic gradient at the expense of the Southern Regions. Conclusions COVID-19 is a clear threat to older persons: in Italy,

Physical activity and health
Abstract citation ID: ckac095.068 P05-01 Change in cardiorespiratory fitness in midlife and incident hypertension Tobias Holmlund 1 , Bjö rn Ekblom 1 , Elin Ekblom-Bak 1 1 The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, GIH, Å strand Laboratory of Work Physiology., Stockholm, Sweden Corresponding author: Tobias.holmlund@gih.se Background Low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with higher blood pressure and risk of incident hypertension. However, existing literature has mainly investigated CRF at baseline. For HEPA initiatives, it is important to know how change in CRF in midlife associate with incident hypertension, and whether this varies between sexes, age and baseline CRF. Methods 91,728 individuals (20-79 years, 48% women, free from hypertension at baseline) from the Swedish workforce who had completed two health profile assessments in a nationwide occupational health service screening between 1986 and 2019 were included. CRF (assessed as VO2max) was estimated using a submaximal cycle test. Change in CRF between the two tests was expressed as % change in absolute CRF